Alaska's Aerial Wolf Slaughter- Will You Help?

As wild and vast as Alaska is, we cannot leave nature alone. And, now, the numbers have increased. 900 more wolves are slated to be killed, chased to exhaustion by aircraft and shot. My goal is to increase media and national attention concerning the slaughter of Alaska wolves.
Please, if you love animals, do one of the options provided on this page, and Help Stop the Slaughter of Alaska Wolves. Just a signature on the petition (39,311 have signed so far) is a great help, a phone call to the Governor Murkowski's office is another way to assist, the phone # is 907-465-3500. You can even send free postcards-

I shudder as I think of the number, Nine Hundred Wolves.


Please, visit Campaign to Save Alaska's Wolves.
Click Here

To further document the horror of this aerial wolf kill, warning, it is graphic- and it shows an actual aerial wolf hunt.
Aerial Wolf Hunt Video

Quotes from site follows-

Urgent Alaska Update: Aerial Gunning to Kill 900 Wolves

Terrible news from Alaska.

The anti-conservation Board of Game has just voted to allow up to 900 wolves to be killed by the barbaric practice of aerial gunning. This is six times as many as were killed last winter.

Easy targets against fallen snow, wolves can be gunned down from airplanes or chased to exhaustion, then shot at point blank range.

Defenders of Wildlife, National Headquarters, 1130 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036.

Pleae, help, time is critical. I am ashamed that my state is allowing this carnage to happen. If you are in the media or news industry, please help us gain national attention. Feel free to u2u me for any assistance I might be able to give. We can sop the carnage.

Years ago I met two wolves up north. We came face-to-face on the bank of a river. They were coming up, and I was going down a trail to the water. They stood looking at me, and I stayed very still about three feet away from them. They are gorgeous, magnificent animals. I could feel an inteligent presence, could see wisdom in their eyes. We did not harm each other; I felt a great peace. I backed up a couple of steps, nodded a farewell to them, turned and went home. I will never forget that moment.

In the years since I have been treated badly by humans, but never by wolves. Or bears.

As a pilot, I can tell you that I have never needed to fire a gun from a civilian aircraft. You all could lobby to get shooting from an aircraft outlawed, and I don't think most of us pilots would object.

Wolves and caribou, bears and seals. Circles within circles. May they never end...

Just wondering what the stated purpose of the killing is and what the real purpose is. Who is this board & what is their interest or whom do they represent? Wolves are beautiful creatures, but there does have to be a balance and the balance usually goes to us. Unless the wolves are a direct threat to the survival of a certain community I don't see any purpose that makes sense.

Though I don't like any killings I'd have to know more such as why, how big is the population is currently etc. If it's only about greed or killing just to kill then I'd be happy to nix it.

I would never blindly say I would help without looking at the entire issue. Another words if killing them was being done to save others due to a disease or save them from starvation or some such issue.

Here in Washington we voted against allowing certain animals to be trapped. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but then we found ourselves with those animals coming into our communities attacking people and then we had have the state hire people to kill them instead of those who kept the populations in check for free . Was really a dumb move - what once was free now we pay. (probably the same people - they used to pay for a license now we hire them) While nobody wants to see beautiful animals being killed we don't want them pulling children out of the school yards for their food either.

I'm not suggesting that's the case up there either - is this flying killing thing becoming a popular form of sport or something weird like that?

[edit on 21-12-2004 by outsider]

Well wile I cant say why they are killing these wolfs i can say this .Like any animal the wolf poplation experences a high point and as it gets closer to this high point seeings as wolfs have no natrial enimes becides man the only other BIG poplation control they have is rabies wich of corse we all know is bad news.
And of corse over poplation means less food and a big drop in other animal poplations wich means wolfs start getting despret .Butter watch your kids.
Now Im not saying this is the case in alaska Im just saying that like prescribed burning killing excess poplations of animals can accutly help the animal as thous that are left are healther and have more food room .
Natrial balance .this is what wolfs do to carbiu and mosse

Signed,

Well as we are here I wonder if anyone would like to help the Yellowstone buffalo, *Working in the field every day to stop the
slaughter of Yellowstone's wild free roaming buffalo*

This is something i have been trying to help out over the year, Prob is im from the UK so makes it harder for me to help. But any US members want to help. there always in need of extra hands,


www.buffalofieldcampaign.org...


Or you can just help e mail the right people

If you have any doubt as to the extent and horror of this situation, just google on 'alaska wolf slaughter'. Come on people, please sign the petition. This senseless slaughter is happening- now.
Asala, I will visit the link- the buffalo are in a bad situation also. Thanks to everyone that has read this thread, and may it reach many more.
The wolves have so much territory here, there is no over popoulation. Some people say they kill the moose and other wildlife, bs is what I say, but that is my opinion. Here in my area alone, the Matanuska Susitna Bourough, almost 400 moose were kiled last winter by automobiles alone, not counting the other 500 or so moose killed by the Alaska Railroad. Humans kill way more moose than wolves do.
I have been in and out of Alaska since 1988, and have only seen 2 wolves. Our state is the size of California, Washington, and Oregon combined. The aerial trappers/shooters are reimbursed to kill the wolves, by the State of Alaska.
Chakatay, you were blessed. Circles within circles, may they never end.
Outsider, hope the above info helps, be sure to google as suggested.
Thanks everyone-

Originally posted by Simcity4Rushour
.Butter watch your kids.

There has NEVER been a recorded case of a wolf attacking a human in North America, if giving a choice they will try to get away from you.
It always amazes me that we need to "manage" nature and wildlife. I wonder how nature managed to get along for the millions of years it has without humans?

I will sign, but what would you expect from a man who's nickname (and Avatar) is Lobo


[edit on 21-12-2004 by Amuk]

Signed.

I'm pleased that my first post in ATS may go on to do some good.
I will never understand the mentality of people who murder these beautiful creatures and call it sport.

Signed. I might be a Canuck, but I'm with y'all all the way. There is absolutely no need to kill a single wolf.

DE

Shouldn't we all sign a petition to protecte the dwindling Caribou population and send it to the chief Wolf? Surely they would listen

Relax people. Culling is culling. I wish they culled the deer where I live. Way too many of those, carrying ticks. Or maybe we can take the wovlves from Alaska

Originally posted by Aelita
Shouldn't we all sign a petition to protecte the dwindling Caribou population and send it to the chief Wolf? Surely they would listen

Relax people. Culling is culling. I wish they culled the deer where I live. Way too many of those, carrying ticks. Or maybe we can take the wolves from Alaska

Deer are different, they breed so fast and actually destroy grazing land from other animals. And the, the caribou population is not dwindling, it is on the increase. What reason is behind the "culling",as much as I dislike this word, I can tell you, none. Other than hunters thinking they get more game.
Wolves are social animals, deer are not. Wolves kill and consume the sick and injured animals, of which ther are many, plenty to sustain them, here.
Please, Do not compare wolves with deer, there is no comparison.

Also, wolves are predators, which means their foodscource tends to do stuff, like resist being eaten. There is a much larger struggle to sruvive for the wolf.

DE

An update from Defender's, via email. They are really fighting the slaughter, and they are a top charitable organization. However, it is not my intent to solicit for them on this board. There are many other ways you can help, this is what I seek. Public awareness and outrage can change things.Email copy follows-

From: Defenders of Wildlife
Reply-To: [email protected]
To: [email protected]

Dear Friend,

The secret slaughter of wolves from airplanes in Alaska is underway - the greatest killing spree since the 1950's.

I say secret because the Board of Game and Governor Frank Murkowski don't want the media to spotlight the carnage. They know that last time the national media covered such wolf atrocities, public outrage caused the barbaric practices to stop.

That's our challenge. Getting the story on national television news shows and on the front page of newspapers.


Thanks to the financial support of caring people like you, we've obtained actual footage and produced a powerful flash video depicting the horror of aerial gunning. We've placed a strong warning to potential viewers because it graphically shows wolves being killed from airplanes.

In the next 10 days, we plan an intensive effort to distribute this flash video to the media, grassroots activists and the public.

I hope we can count on your important help once again.

First, send an email to the major network news shows that you watch. Urge them to send a reporter to Alaska to cover the planned killing of up to 900 wolves from airplanes. (To send an email see the list of links below).

Second, make whatever contribution you can to help us expand our media, grassroots and legal efforts to stop the aerial assault on wolves. Our goal is to raise $50,000 over the next 72 hours. Your contribution of $25 or more would really help.


Thanks for caring,

Steven DelVecchio
V.P. Membership

P.S. Please take a moment to send an email to the major news networks urging them to cover the planned killing of 900 wolves in Alaska. We need to generate as many emails as possible to get their attention. Thank you.

National Network News Links:
ABC News: [email protected] Subject: World News Tonight
CBS News: Go to CBSNews.com and click on contact us to use their Feedback Form.
CNN: Go to CNN.com and click on contact us to use their feedback form.
FOX News Channel: [email protected]
MSNBC: [email protected]
NBC News: [email protected]


[edit on 21-12-2004 by Journey]

And it's not just Alaskan wolves that are slaughtered by air. Ranchers and the federal government get rid of packs.
This article is from 2002, but I'll bet this still happens.
I thought wolf was still protected in the western US? Or doesn't Alaska count?

Using radio telemetry mounted on the plane�s wings, Niemeyer and Williamson zeroed in on the Whitehawk Pack. The pack had already been reduced to five wolves but still was led by the alpha male and the stunningly white alpha female that hundreds of wolf lovers around the world knew by the name they�d given her, Alabaster.


As the helicopter swooped down, the pack scattered and Niemeyer began to fire. Number four buckshot spreads out and has tremendous stopping power, effective for hitting animals on the run. Even so, it took several hours, with Niemeyer shooting one wolf after another as they bolted from this piece of cover to that. It is a skill, keeping your balance in the doorway of the helicopter, leaning in the harness and aiming, accepting the recoil, the gunsmoke and thunder against your face, shooting only when you manage to get within close range, 30 or 40 yards, making sure whenever you hit a wolf, enough pellets tear into the flesh and bone that death is instantaneous.

www.hcn.org...

Thanks to all who supported this post, this is an update regarding the aerial slaughter of Alaska's wolves. Thank you for your continued support, our voices are being heard.

Link


Ruling brakes wolf control program

SUPERIOR COURT: Judge finds state's aerial predator control effort to be illegal.

By MARY PEMBERTON
The Associated Press

Published: January 18, 2006
Last Modified: January 18, 2006 at 09:19 AM

"Alaska's lethal wolf control program, under which hundreds of wolves have been killed, is illegal, a judge ruled Tuesday.

In a case going back to November 2003, Superior Court Judge Sharon Gleason ruled that the state failed to follow its own regulations when it authorized the aerial wolf control program, where pilot and gunner teams were allowed to shoot the wolves from the air.

Given the judge's ruling, the program has been suspended, Matt Robus, director of the state Division of Wildlife Conservation, said soon after the judge issued her ruling. People with permits to kill wolves in the five areas of the state where the program is under way were being notified, he said."......

Finally, a reprieve for the wolves, however this may be temporary if the Murkowski administration has their way. Allow your opinion to be heard, please.

This practice is the most disgusting thing I have ever seen. Wolves are so much more complex than people realize, and do everything they can to stay away from people. If you are blessed enough to see a wolf in the wild, I envy you more than you will ever know. I have always loved wolves, and watching videos of them. They're so much more intelligent than we give them credit for.

It is kind of special. I hope that no one has answered this, and if so, maybe I will add something. The wolf kill is carried out so that they won't eat so many deer, moose, elk, etc. The supporters claim that this is a unavoidable necessity in order to save the deer, etc. Which is total BS. They survived side by side for millenia, and they were just fine. There is a book by Farley Mowat, Never Cry Wolf, which was made into a movie. It is a good book to help debunk the wolf myth. I have met a woman who petted a wild wolf. I find the wolf kill to be typical greed. The only reason they want to save the deer, moose, elk, etc. is so they can shoot them. They would just rather have the antlers on their rec room walls, than to have the meat in a wolf's gut.

Hello Friends:

This angers and put tears in my eyes, the Wolf is a manifisent animal.
I wish I had the expiriance the fellow member had,but I had many
very vivid dreams with wolves.
A native American friend of mine told me my spirit animal is the wolf.
Some of the names I use in line are latinwolf,dreamwolf,wolfman and other.
Lets put a end to this!!

I like the story of why the wolf was created, as told in a Native American tradition. This is not verbatim, and I am sure I will not get it exactly right, but it is something like this.
Long ago the people noticed that the herds of caribou were full of injured, sick, and very old weak caribou. So they asked the Great Spirit what could be done, and the wolf was created. The wolf keeps the caribou herd healthy by weeding out the badly injured, very weak, very old, and sick ones, which in the long run leads to a vigorous, strong herd.
This is far different than what the consequences are bound to be when a predator does not target those ones, but instead kills the biggest, strongest members so that they will have the biggest rack on the block. It is not at all helping the general health of the herd, but instead is removing the healthiest ones. This is unhealthy, and all things being equal a herd that is in wolf territory will be far better off than one in rifle territory.
It is a cull, yes, but it is a cull to satisfy our bloodthirst. We want to kill those caribou instead. It is not some compassionate plan to help them, in fact it can only weaken the herds.

Will you help? Please send the Governor of Alaska (Murkowski) an email voicing your opinion gov.state.ak.us...
It is this administrations intent to continue the program.


"Since the program began in 2003, more than 400 wolves have been killed. The state set a goal of another 400 this winter. The state issued more than 100 new permits last month." quote from ADN link in previous link.

The fight has not been won yet. Your voice is needed. This is a politically motivated program, and needs to be ended.